Valve-cap



W. H. WEST.

VALVE CAP.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 17. 1911.

1,353,878. Patented Sept. 28,1920.

n y J -"e i1 WMHW Y s, MAME W ATTORNEY UNITED SVTATESI'PAYTENT OFFICE.

, "wriLIAM HQwEsr, or STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA.

' Application filed September 17, 1917. Serial'No. 191.699.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

e it known that I, WILLIAM H. WEST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stockton, in the county of San Joaquin, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valve- Caps; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements in valve caps for use on pneumatic tires, whereby the caps may be fastened and removed without the usual waste of time due to having to screw the same on the 1011 threaded valve stem as is now the case. Very often, it also happens that the threads of the valve stem or of the cap itself become dirty and deteriorated, making it hard to remove or replace the common style of cap, and the operator generally in a hurry, uses some tool and ruins both cap and stem, the result being much future trouble and loss of time.

The object of my invention is to provide a cap which can be easily and quickly removed and replaced perfectly secure, and which shall become a comfort instead of a hindrance to all users of motor vehicles.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purposes for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through my improved valve cap, loose on the valve stem.

Fig. 2 is the same cap, also on the valve stem partly broken and in section, showing the parts in locked position.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the valve cap showing more clearly the flattened sides and its lower part.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference in the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the valve stem, which is provided with the usual thread 1, and flattened on two opposite sides as at 1".

VALVE-CAP.

Specification of Letters Batent. Patented Sept. 28, 1920.

Numeral 2 represents my improved valve cap casing, its lower end being slightly pressed in as at 3, having for a small portion of its circumference, threads 8 corresponding with the threads 1 of the stem Opposite the threads 3 is a small rectangular chamber 4 in which is a slidable locking block 5 provided at its lower end with threads 5 corresponding to the threads 1 of stem 1. Secured to this block 5 is a pin 6 sliding through the opening 7, on the rear end of the chamber 4:. Between the block 5 and rear end of chamber 4 is a coil spring 8 tending to force the block 5 toward the threads 3. In order to hold the block 5 away from engagement with the threads 1 of the stem 1 when removing the cap, I provide a small plate 9 hinged to pin 6 near its outer end, as at 10, and a slight notch 11 holds this plate 10 when in unlocked position.

To keep my improved valve cap from coming unscrewed after being placed, as the new ones now in use are liable to do, I flatten the two opposite sides 3 between the threads 3 and chamber 4 as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing, making it impossible to revolve around the valve stem 1. To remove my improved valve cap, I raise the plate 9 as shown in Fig. 1. This operation draws the block 5 into the chamber 4 and leaves a clear space between the stem 1 and cap casing 2, permitting the valve cap to he slipped off and on very quickly.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfils the object of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, a cap body and a manually operable locking pin having its engaging portion arranged near the open end of the cap and means to yieldingly hold the same in a locking position and other means for locking the pin in an unlocked position.

2. In a device of the class described, a cap body and a manually" operable device comprising a sliding locking pin, spring etangular locking pin guided to slide in a to yieldingly hold the pin in a locked posi: plane at an angle to; the axis of the cap 10 tion, and a lever pivoted to said 'pin ar-' body, asprin'g'to 'yieldingly hold the pin in ranged to lock the pin in an unlockedo a vlocked position and a lever pivoted to the sition. pin to lock the pin in an unlocked position V 3, In a device of the classdescribed, a cap. againstthe tension of thespring.

bodyya manuallyoperable device for lock- In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. '15 ing the cap to the stem comprising a rec- 7 WILLIAM H. WEST. 

